Conventional means is provided for forming a slug of articles to be dropped, and the articles are preferably dropped right side up into a unique funnel mechanism which not only controls the downward movement of the articles to minimize the drop distance for the articles but which also inverts the articles for drop packing into the awaiting case.
The articles are inverted by rotating a module designed to hold at least one and preferably two charges of articles, one on each side of the invert module itself. This disclosure represents an improvement over prior art U.S. Pat. No. 3,702,524 issued to Johnson et al in November 1972. That patent provided for hinged doors to restrain the articles during the invert motion, and these doors have been eliminated in the present disclosure in favor of unique fingers which not only serve to entrap the article during the invert motion but which also serve to guide each article during its downward movement into the awaiting packing case.
Other prior art patents which invert the articles being packaged are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,834,117 issued to Gift in September of 1974, wherein the hinged doors are replaced by an inflatable lane defining grid structure, and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,694,933 wherein vacuum cups support the articles during invert motion.
Another approach to drop packing articles without inverting them, but with a descending grid to control the paths the articles take as they move downwardly into an awaiting packing case is shown in Day et al U.S. Pat. No. 2,890,553 wherein a descending funnel type grid is provided for initially supporting the upright articles between fingers so that they can be lowered and subsequently dropped into the packing case as the fingers are allowed to assume normal open positions. The disclosure in Day differs from that of the present invention in that the articles in Day are not inverted, nor need the articles be retained during invert motion. More specifically, the cammed fingers of the funnel in Day would not retain the articles in an apparatus for inverting the articles during the packing operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,457,121 issued to Johnson et al shows still another approach to drop packing or lowering articles downwardly into a packing case. More specifically, in Johnson the articles are held between the spring fingers of the funnel portion of the grid. However, there is no suggestion in this Johnson patent of retaining the articles in a finger type funnel or grid so that the articles can be inverted, and hence no suggestion of using the fingers to hold the articles in place during such invert motion.